You Should Enter the Kolache Olympics

Come up with a new kolache flavor for the Kolache Factory.

Few two-word phrases in the English language are more likely to grab my attention than “Kolache Olympics.” Even though I’m not much of a kolache traditionalist—I’ll always be a pigs-in-a-blanket man first and foremost—I’ll confess that when I read those words in an email earlier I knew I was going to move heaven and earth if need to be to write about it. Luckily I only had to read on and discover that the public has the opportunity to potentially be in said Kolache Olympics, and here we are.

You might be familiar with the Kolache Factory brand, given the number that grace our fair city, where it was born. Rank them among the other kolache shops as you wish, but for my money, the Pepperoni Pizza kolache is one of the finest things fast food chains have given us, right up there with Domino’s gone—but not forgotten—Buffalo Chicken Kickers, and the wonder that are Popeye’s biscuits. What you might not know is that each year Kolache Factory hosts a contest among its employees for new kolache creation, culminating with the Kolache Olympics.

This year, for the first time, customers can get in on the fun thanks to the “Create a New Kolache” contest. All you have to do is jump online and share the kolache you’ve dreamed of. The Kolache Factory will choose five finalists from customers in their markets, and the winner will be announced at the Kolache Olympics, coming up in July here in Houston. The four finalists who don’t win will receive a free kolache every day for six months. The grand prize winner will receive a free kolache every day for a year. It's very cool for all involved, but I think we can acknowledge that being a part of the Kolache Olympics is the real treat here.

So what kind of kolache ideas get submitted to a contest like this? Some names that were shared with me that stuck out were Bohemian Rhapspuddy, the Salty Darling, and Hot Lava kolaches. Ideas that I’m sure will come up, because the internet is what it is, are Pineapple Pizza, Unicorn, and something with charcoal in it. (I leave it up to you, brave readers, to come up with ingredient lists.) You have until June 30 to enter.